Bruins
Tyler Johnson had to wait weeks for the Bruins to clear space before putting pen to paper on a deal.
Tyler Johnson signed with the Bruins on Monday night after a long wait. Barry Chin / The Boston Globe
The wait is finally over for Tyler Johnson.
After spending over a month with the Bruins as a professional tryout candidate (PTO) and patient skater mired in Cape-Space purgatory, Johnson signed a one-year contract worth $775. 000 in the NHL with Boston on Monday night.
The 34-year-old forward, who skated with the Bruins throughout the regular season despite his uncertain contract status, took part in Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena and could be in play to make his debut during of Tuesday’s road game against the Maple Leafs. .
The 5-foot-8 forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion has scored 17 goals and recorded 31 total points in 67 games with the Blackhawks during the 2023-24 season.
The Spokane, Wash., native may be several years removed from his best years with the Lightning (29 goals, 72 points in 2014-15), but Johnson could still inject some punch into a Bruins squad ranked 27th in the league in terms of score (2.62 goals scored per match).
A right-handed center who can also shift to the wing, Johnson’s versatility should give Jim Montgomery and his staff options as the team looks for additional ways to generate offense.
He skated in place of Charlie Coyle as Boston’s second-line center Monday, although Coyle did not participate in practice due to what Montgomery called “maintenance.”
Johnson’s path to putting pen to paper with the Bruins follows a similar trajectory to Danton Heinen, who quickly became a bargain signing for Boston in 2023-24.
Arriving in Boston on a PTO contract last fall, Heinen impressed in the preseason as a versatile, two-way forward.
But with Boston limited in terms of cap space, Heinen had to wait weeks before signing with the Bruins, eventually signing a one-year contract worth $775,000 with the team on October 30, 2023 He then scored 17 goals and 36 points. over 74 games with the Bruins last year.
Boston found itself in another financial headache this fall after signing Jeremy Swayman to his $66 million contract just before the start of the regular season.
While Johnson bided his time and kept his legs fresh in Brighton, the Bruins finally freed up needed capital when the team placed forward Riley Tufte on waivers on October 25. After Tufte cleared waivers and was subsequently assigned to Providence, the Bruins won the title. $775,000 was needed to finally bring in Johnson, who appeared in the preseason.
“Tyler Johnson’s strength as a player is in his brain,” Montgomery said of Johnson’s strengths on the ice late last month. “His brain has allowed him throughout his career to be in the right place at the right time, offensively and defensively.”
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